US Troops To Leave Iraq By August 2010: Officials

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

WASHINGTON — The United States plans to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq by August 2010, 19 months after President Barack Obama's inauguration, according to administration officials. The withdrawal plan would fulfill one of Obama's central campaign pledges, albeit a little more slowly than he promised. He said he would withdraw troops within 16 months, roughly one brigade a month from the time of his inauguration.

The officials said they expect Obama to make the announcement this week. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public.

The U.S. military will leave behind a residual force, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to continue advising and training Iraqi security forces, the two officials said. Also staying beyond the 19 months will be intelligence and surveillance specialists and their equipment, including unmanned aircraft, they said.

A further withdrawal will take place before December 2011, the period by which the U.S. agreed with Iraq to remove all American troops.

A senior White House official said Tuesday that Obama is at least a day away from making a final decision. He further said an announcement on Wednesday was unlikely, but he said that Obama could discuss Iraq during a trip to North Carolina on Friday.

About 142,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq, roughly 14 brigades, about 11,000 above the total in Iraq when President George W. Bush announced in January 2007 that he would "surge" the force to put down the insurgency. He sent an additional 21,000 combat troops to Baghdad and Anbar province.

Although the number of combat brigades has dropped from 20 to 14, the U.S. has increased the number of logistical and other support troops. A brigade is usually about 3,000 to 5,000 troops.

Obama's campaign promise to withdraw troops in 16 months was based on a military estimate on what would be an orderly pace of removing troops, given the logistical difficulties of removing so many people and tons of equipment, a U.S. military official said.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/us-troops-to-leave-iraq-b_n_169582.html

[Captain Hilts]

1. Without names and direct quotations, this is worthless. nt

[tyne]

2. We've got to nip this in the bud...and we saw it coming....

"He said he would withdraw troops within 16 months, roughly one brigade a month from the time of his inauguration."

No he didn't. He said he was immediately consult with his military brass and have them form a 16 month withdrawal plan. That is what he did. August of 2010 is the summer of 2010 exactly what Obama promised in the campaign.

HE NEVER PROMISED TO START WITHDRAWING TROOPS WITHIN DAYS OF INAUGURATION.